Harbourfront Centre is a leader in providing internationally renowned artistic, educational and recreational programming across a beautiful 10-acre campus at the heart of Toronto’s waterfront. For more than 45 years, Harbourfront Centre has celebrated the best in Canadian culture and the rich mosaic of cultures from around the world, presenting thousands of events annually from music festivals to contemporary dance, to craft and design, to visual arts and more. Welcoming visitors year-round, there is something for everyone at Harbourfront Centre!
We are currently seeking applications of interest from independent Curators to curate our annual concert series Summer Music in the Garden (SMIG) in 2022. This in an opportunity to be filled by one or two curator(s), depending on the applicants’ experience and interests, as the mandate spans the genres of baroque, contemporary classical, and global roots.
Programme Details
Summer Music in the Garden is an annual concert series produced by Harbourfront Centre that takes place each summer in the Toronto Music Garden’s Gigue—a natural amphitheater along the shores of Lake Ontario. Summer Music in the Garden has been bringing local and international musical performances in the baroque classical, contemporary classical, and global roots genres to Toronto audiences since 2000. Over the past 20 years Summer Music in the Garden has built a dedicated audience, many of whom return week after week to attend most concerts each season. The series also sees a lot of passersby from the nearby boardwalk and Queens Quay West, bringing vibrancy and joy to the community.
The 2022 summer season will include a maximum of 18, and a minimum of 12 concerts in July and August, taking place weekly on most Thursdays at 7pm and most Sundays at 4pm, except on statutory holidays or other conflicting events.
2022 will be our Nordic Bridges year (https://nordicbridges.ca/) focused on art and culture from the Nordic Region and Canada. As such, some music commissions for SMIG will be in place by September (up to 4) so the Curator(s) will have to integrate these works, as well as 1 or 2 other Canadian commissions, into the program, as part of programming they will put in place.
Key Responsibilities
- Develop a clear artistic vision for the series in accordance with the mandate.
- Research and conceptualize program content, prioritizing female identified, IBPOC artists, as well as disabled artists.
- Work closely with, and report to the Director of Performing Arts in accordance with an agreed upon critical path and workflow calendar.
- Program within the set budget which will include commissions, artists’ fees, travel, accommodations, and per diem for out-of-town artists.
- Negotiate fees and other conditions with artists.
- Obtain all information from artists necessary for producing, budgeting and marketing.
- Deliver the full program with complete details by March 1st, 2022.
- Present the season with the Director of Performing Arts at an overview meeting for staff (March 2022).
- Work with Harbourfront Centre’s marketing and publicity team to promote the series.
- Work with Harbourfront Centre’s production coordinator assigned to present the program.
- Book and coordinate artists for an annual fundraising reception at Harbourfront Centre (typically in April), and be in attendance.
- Attend programming, production, and marketing meetings as necessary, in person or virtually depending on the Covid-19 pandemic situation throughout the 21/22 season.
- If more than one curator is selected, work alongside other curator to plan dates and programming in a way that is cohesive and complementary.
- Provide original writing for marketing materials and be available for press interviews if required.
- Attend each concert and introduce each artist to the audience.
Required Qualifications
- Minimum: Bachelor of Music, Fine Arts, Arts degree or equivalent
- 5 + years' experience in a comparable role programming and/or producing music
- Bilingualism (French) considered an asset
- Excellent communications skills including writing
- Proficiency with Microsoft suite including Word, Excel, Teams
- Understanding of local, national and international music scene
- Ability to work independently and within a team in a larger institution
- Ability to meet deadlines and to work with a certain amount of stress
- Ability to work from home
Start Date and Duration of Contract: September 1, 2021 to September 15, 2022. The position is renewable based on performance, with an intention of programming a cycle of 3 seasons.
Contract Hours: Part-time hours based on anticipated requirements to complete expected deliverables.
Location: Services are to be rendered remotely, however the curator(s) but must be available to attend meetings and events at our waterfront campus or at The Toronto Music Garden as required.
Contract Remuneration: Commensurate based on experience.
Deadline for Application: May 31,2021.
Application submission:
Please submit a CV including 2 references, as well as a letter explaining why this opportunity is of interest to you and if you would like to curate the entire series or only one of the music genres within it.
Please send your application submission to ahunter@harbourfrontcentre.com, quoting Curator-Summer Music in the Garden 2022 in the subject line of your application, by no later than May 31,2021.
This appointment will be made on merit, but we believe that diversity strengthens and enriches us, and that it is the responsibility of everyone at Harbourfront Centre to make the arts and cultural sector a more diverse and equal place. As we seek to continue to increase the representation of Indigenous, Black, people of colour and disabled people at Harbourfront Centre, we particularly encourage and welcome submissions of interest from such applicants.
About the Toronto Music Garden:
Fronting on Toronto's inner harbour, the Toronto Music Garden is one of the city's most enchanted locations. The park design is inspired by Bach's First Suite for Unaccompanied Cello, with each dance movement within the suite corresponding to a different section of the garden (more on this here). Internationally renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma worked with landscape designer Julie Moir Messervy to interpret in nature the music of Bach’s first suite.
